(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
What's in a name?
Well, the answer is quite a lot, if you profess to be an aspiring Islamic caliphate.
Muslim groups across the world have labelled the so-called Islamic State 'un-Islamic' for its militancy, violence and intolerance in northern Iraq and Syria.
Now, an Australian Muslim group has called upon media and government organisations to stop using the title altogether.
Angelo Risso reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Muslim organisations across the world have responded with outrage to the suggestion that the militant group Islamic State speaks on behalf of the Islamic faith.
But since the group announced what it called a "restored Islamic State" in July, the name has repeatedly appeared in Western media reports.
One Australian Muslim organisation has called upon governments and the media to stop using the terms "Islamic State", or the group's earlier acronyms, "ISIS" and "ISIL".
The Forum on Australia's Islamic Relations says the widespread use of these names is offensive to most Muslims.
Forum Director Kuranda Seyit says the call for an Islamic caliphate has not been supported by any country or major Muslim organisation in the world.
He's suggesting an alternative to the name "Islamic State" must be found immediately.
"Many Muslims are, I suppose, disturbed by the fact that we are seeing these terrible atrocities occurring, and they're being referred to as Islamic and Muslim, and I think that we need to differentiate that these groups are criminal and they're mercenaries and they're terrorist organisations, and they're not Islamic at all."
Kuranda Seyit suggests it would be more appopriate to rename "ISIS" as "CRISIS".
Other parties - the French government in particular - have begun calling Islamic State by the name, "Daesh", to remove the reference to Islam.
It's a made up acronym from the Arabic words for "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant".
But acronyms are not usually used in Arabic at all, and "Daesh" is similar to an Arabic word meaning 'crush'.
The group has taken such a dislike to the new title that it has vowed to remove the tongues of anyone who dares speak it.
But Kuranda Seyit says it may be a worthwhile idea.
"Well, I think Daesh ... yeah, definitely looks, describes them more as a thuggish and violent organisation, and that's the term that some people in the Arab quarters have been referring to ... if it could be used by Western media, it'd be fantastic."
Kuranda Seyit believes removing references to Islam when naming the group may reduce the number of Australians linking Islam with violence.
Law professor at the University of Technology Sydney Jamila Hussain agrees.
"The general Australian population doesn't have a great knowledge of Islam at all, and it's much too easy for them to associate the local Muslim population with some of the atrocities that are going on in the Middle East."
But Maha Abdo, from the United Muslim Women's Association, says bringing about this change may be immensely difficult.
But she says the actions of violent militants must be seen as completely non-religious acts.
"Violence should be called as they are [sic] and should not be associated with a peaceful religion, and that's as clear as that."
Share
